Conflict Resolution and Peaceful Change

This course will explore how to hold ‘brave spaces’ to discuss conflict issues and how to build peace skills in the classroom. It will also unpack a rich bank of case studies from around the world for pupils to explore the effectiveness of non-violent action as an alternative to conflict.

The world is facing many challenging problems such as conflict, climate change, migration, racism, inequality - the effects of which we also experience in our own communities.   These issues increasingly require sensitive conversations in the classroom. As educators, we can’t turn away in order to feel safe, but equally we do not want to aggravate anxiety for young people. 

To prepare for their future, students need skills to navigate difficult conversations in ways that will allow them to address problems even while working with people with differing views. They also need understand peaceful ways to take action as socially responsible citizens to press for a fairer and more sustainable world.

This free course spread over 2 twilights will:

Investigate what it means to hold a ‘brave spaces’ for discussing students’ experiences and feelings

Explore capacities and skills for peace making which can be used practically in your classroom

Discover a rich bank teaching resources produced by DEC South Yorkshire which explore the effectiveness of non-violent action as an alternative to conflict, eg: Indian Independence, Otpor in Serbia, Sheffield Street Trees, UK Right to Roam, WW2 resistance. These use interactive teaching methodologies such as Philosophy for Children (P4C) and drama which are used to engage young people in dialogue about issues that matter to them and supports them in taking action as citizens

Suitable for:

Anybody that works with young people, including (but not limited to): Teachers of KS2, KS3, KS4.  Drama, History, Citizenship lead teachers and those with responsibility for school councils. 

Curriculum links:

Citizenship, SMSC and PSHE, RE, Language - oracy and Drama, History.

This free course will be run over 2 sessions: 15th November from 4pm-6pm, and the 22nd November from 4pm-5pm (GMT).